Yesterday, 1 June 2023, the City of Tshwane launched the first law enforcement human rights sensitisation training with a specific focus on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted infections in key and vulnerable population groups. The launch was the culmination of a partnership between the City and the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC). The Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) will be the beneficiaries of this training.
In October 2022, as the MMC for Health, I was nominated to take the lead in overseeing the roll-out of this project and it was immediately clear to me that some key population groups are often overlooked. What is also evident is that when it comes to sensitisation training, the focus has predominantly been on healthcare workers and to a lesser extent on law enforcement.
Sensitisation training is important because it can reduce judgemental and discriminatory attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS. This can, in turn, increase empathy and help law enforcement understand their challenges. The objective is to have a human rights-based approach when dealing with vulnerable groups.
The training commenced with a masterclass on 1 June 2023 and will be rolled out to other regions in Tshwane.
I want to take this opportunity to thank SANAC for availing funding and training to the City of Tshwane. This programme will help the City to give true expression to what it means to have a multisector response to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections for key and vulnerable population groups. According to SANAC, the City of Tshwane is the first metro to roll out this training.
Our Constitution and Bill of Rights strongly affirm the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom. As public servants, we are duty bound to provide non-discriminatory quality services to all, be it in healthcare or law enforcement.